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Swift Boat Accounts Flawed
The Washington Post ^
| 08/22/2004
| Michael Dobbs
Posted on 08/21/2004 5:33:07 PM PDT by franklog
When John F. Kerry rescued James Rassmann from the Bay Hap River in the jungles of Vietnam in March 1969, neither man could possibly have imagined that the episode would become a much-disputed focus of an American presidential campaign 35 years later.
For Kerry, then a green and gangly Navy lieutenant junior grade and now the Democratic challenger to a wartime Republican president, that tale of heroism under fire has become integral to his campaign. A centerpiece of public rallies, videos and a new campaign advertisement last week, it has helped distinguish the candidate from his Democratic primary rivals and from President Bush, who spent the war at home as a member of the Texas Air National Guard.
For the Massachusetts senator's critics, who include three of the five Swift boat skippers who were present that day, the incident demonstrates why Kerry does not deserve to be commander in chief. They accuse him of cowardice, hogging the limelight and lying. Far from displaying coolness under fire, they say, Kerry was never fired upon and fled the scene at the moment of maximum danger.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: bronzestar; kerry; michaeldobbs; militaryrecord; rassmann; swiftboatveterans
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To: ProudVet77
damn.....I tried backspacing your URL's to browse a bit,,,,"forbidden"
anyhow, you won't need to go to the library.....those are nice!
my home offices were XT960490 and later XT830910
To: franklog
"This article is about as clear a repudiation of Kerry's story as one could expect from a lefty pub. Were it fairly written, that which is "between the lines" would be stated. You could be sure if Bush published a book full of lies, the WaPo would not hesitate to say "Bush published a book of lies." There would be no lines to read between."This is about as fair an article as we can expect from the left. But were it Bush, you are correct. It would be treated as you suggest in the above quote.
82
posted on
08/21/2004 9:26:30 PM PDT
by
TOUGH STOUGH
(Vote for anyone but Darlin' Arlen in November.....)
To: oldtimer
Meanwhile the lib networks incl CBS (which I listened to a few ago) are coming to his rescue.
I have yet to hear any of the major news shows mention that the film clip is a reenactment. They air the scene as being factual.
83
posted on
08/22/2004 4:11:14 AM PDT
by
R. Scott
(Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
To: franklog
By the way, since when do the words of some Veterans in interviews or in a book warrant MORE scrutiny than the words of a Presidential candidate?
< massive sarcasm> Because a man could not rise to the level of Presidential Candidate in a respected political party like the Democrats without being 100% forthright, honest and beyond reproach! Why cant we see that?
Besides, all Viet Nam Veterans are war criminals who did nothing but run around burning villages and killing babies. These despicable actions were even brought before the US Senate by a very respected personage of breeding and culture back in 1971! < / massive sarcasm>
84
posted on
08/22/2004 4:21:05 AM PDT
by
R. Scott
(Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
To: franklog
If their accounts are so "flawed" why has the Kerry Campaign retracted at least two statements JF'nK has made on his 'Nam experiences already?
If the Swiftie's position is classified as "flawed" then Kerry's position should be classfied as "Outright Lie".
85
posted on
08/22/2004 4:31:42 AM PDT
by
Caipirabob
(Democrats.. Socialists..Commies..Traitors...Who can tell the difference?)
To: Semper Paratus
Wasn't this a year after TET where the NLF (Vietcong) pretty much wiped themselves out and before the NVA came down South in force?
Yes.
I have been helping an Army Historian put together the story of Army convoys in Viet Nam. Through interviews and official reports he had collected a lot of material on convoy ambushes, the reactions to the ambushes, casualties, awards and history of the gun truck.
He asked me why he couldnt find any material for mid 1968 though early 1969.
I thought it might be because NVA/VC forces were just about wiped out in the 68 Tet festivities. Those that survived were back in North Viet Nam of over in Cambodia.
Rick did some more checking and discovered that the biggest problem facing allied forces was finding any enemy to fight. That is why there were so few ambushes during that time period.
86
posted on
08/22/2004 4:33:50 AM PDT
by
R. Scott
(Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
To: sauropod
To: franklog; All
I recall reading a thread in FR about one of Kerry's "Band of Brothers" who spoke about his service with John "Johnny Bandaid" Kerry in Vietnam, when in fact he had not been there at the time Kerry had been.
Does anyone have a link to that story?
88
posted on
08/22/2004 9:07:31 AM PDT
by
Luis Gonzalez
(Sin Patria, pero sin amo)
To: franklog
89
posted on
08/22/2004 9:20:31 AM PDT
by
JOE43270
(JOE43270 My vote goes for President Bush because he is a great leader and a good man.)
To: franklog
From the article (last paragraph): ""A lot of people just can't forgive and forget," countered Kerry crew member Medeiros. "He was a great commander. I would have no trouble following him anywhere."
Forgive and forget what?
To: WilliamofCarmichael
Today on the David Gold show (KSFO) I know that I heard again Mr. O'Neill say that there was firing from the shore for less than a minute. I believe what Mr. O'Neill has consistently said is that the swiftess opened fire immediately after the mine explosion - fearing that an ambush was underway. After about a minute, with no return fire at all, all boats ceased firing (the no. 3 boat, of course, did not fire, and Kerry's boat was downriver).
The SBVT have been very consistent. O'Neill, or course, will readily admit he is relaying the observations of others regarding this incident - he was Kerry's replacement after Kerry bugged out with three band-aid purple hearts.
91
posted on
08/22/2004 9:44:51 AM PDT
by
MortMan
(Complacency is an enemy sniper)
To: MortMan
RE: After about a minute, with no return fire at all, all boats ceased firing (the no. 3 boat, of course, did not fire, and Kerry's boat was downriver).
Yes, I believe that you are correct. Thanks for the correction.
92
posted on
08/22/2004 3:26:21 PM PDT
by
WilliamofCarmichael
(Benedict Arnold was a hero for both sides in the same war, too!)
To: franklog
93
posted on
08/22/2004 8:45:53 PM PDT
by
technochick99
(Sanctimonious prig, IL resident, Keyes supporter.)
To: Corin Stormhands; Torie; Mudboy Slim
You have GOT to be kidding me...That's a bit of a stretch in my book, too. The Post has some good analysis, but it's dreadful at passing off opinion as news.
The Post, Kerry and his campaign friends can whine and try to blame Bush all they want, but when this ad debuts on TV today, Kerry's own treasonous words will be seen for all to judge.
And I have a feeling Mr. Kerry won't like the verdict.
94
posted on
08/23/2004 4:27:12 AM PDT
by
Coop
(In memory of a true hero - Pat Tillman)
To: demlosers
Oooh, this time they provided drawings? Well, I guess THAT seals it. Kerry isn't a liar, the drawing proves it! ;-)
95
posted on
08/23/2004 4:38:59 AM PDT
by
Hatteras
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